The Chicago bottleneck

 

For an illustration of how a major transport hub can become a major bottleneck, affecting the entire country's economy, see this short video report from the Wall Street Journal.  It's worth your time.

It looks as if imports from other countries are contracting sharply as consumer demand in the USA declines.  That will help ease the backlog caused by earlier bottlenecks in hubs such as Chicago.  However, the backlog has built up over a year or more.  It's going to take more than a week or two to clear the overhang, and service and repair the strains caused to transport routes and facilities like railroads.

Makes you think, no?

Peter

The real economic facts are hidden beneath the hype

 

More and more, the powers that be are relying on obfuscation, confusion and "smoke and mirrors" to conceal just how bad our economy really is.  I'd like to provide a couple of examples.

First, inflation.  We've heard it loudly trumpeted that the rate of inflation is coming down, dropping from somewhere in the 8-9% range to the 6-7% range.  That's an improvement, right?  Not so fast.  First, remember that the official rate of inflation bears about as much resemblance to the real rate of inflation as I do to Mata Hari.  (Hint:  there's no resemblance whatsoever.)  The price of fuel is not included in the "official" CPI calculation:  neither is the cost of food.  The cost of housing is deliberately understated through various convoluted "owner equivalent" numbers.  By leaving out several of our biggest single expenses every month, the bureaucrats can blithely claim that inflation really isn't that bad.  The reality is, it's much worse.

Next, consumer spending.  There's much talk that spending is about the same as last year:  some claim slightly higher, some concede that it might be a percent or two lower.  Both perspectives avoid confronting the real issue.  Consider this:

• If, last year, 100 people each bought one widget at $10, the total consumption of widgets that year would have been $1,000.
• If, this year, the price of each widget increased to $15, and if 100 people still bought one apiece, the total consumption of widgets in dollar terms would rise to $1,500 - a 50% increase this year.
• However, if 25 people could not afford to pay $15 for a widget, and only 75 bought one, the total consumption of widgets in dollar terms would now be $1,125 this year.
• In the second case, cheerleaders will gleefully proclaim that the economy is doing very well.  After all, we've just experienced a 12.5% rise in the consumption of widgets!  Look at the dollar numbers!
• However, those more in tune with reality will point out that we've actually bought (consumed) 25% fewer widgets this year than we did last year.  That means the raw materials that would have been bought to make the additional widgets (that we haven't made or sold), the people needed to make them, those who shipped and distributed and sold them... all that economic activity is now missing.  Even though the retail (dollar) figures suggest that the widget economy is booming, in fact it isn't.  On the contrary, it's in trouble.  Furthermore, what about those people who might really need a widget, but now can't afford to buy one?  If they would have used it to produce useful output that our economy needs, what will happen to that output?  Can it be replaced from other sources, or will its loss further damage our economy?

Get the idea?  If one looks only at the dollar figures, one might say that the economy is doing just fine.  However, beneath that blissful surface, things are a whole lot worse than they seem.  We're seeing inflated prices mask the reality of our economy, by hiding reductions in actual manufacturing and sales.

It's not just employment or economic production.  To see one very recent example of lies, damned lies and statistics, see how the "official" employment figures were "massaged" to give a total more than a million jobs higher than the actual number.  If that's not official, blatant, in-your-face lying by our government, what is?

Be very, very cautious about believing or trusting any official figures about the economy.  That sort of falsification and/or incomplete information is rampant at present.  Always look for the bigger picture, and dig deeper to uncover the reality that hides beneath the hype.  It frequently portrays a very different scenario than the one the powers that be would prefer us to believe.

Peter

"For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind"

 

That headline comes from the Bible:  Hosea 8:7.  I can't think of a more appropriate application for it than those behind the so-called "Drag Queen Christmas" show for children.  I can only assess it in Biblical and Christian terms, because if I didn't - if I didn't have that moral restraint to control my actions - I'd be vitriolic, and less than measured in my response.

I'm not going to publish details or pictures here, because they're sickening.  You'll find a very informative Twitter thread, complete with pictures, here:  for a more convenient read, including the pictures, see the Threadreader combined thread here.  WARNING:  Neither link is safe for work, or for family viewing, and they will offend viewers with any sense of traditional morality at all.  View at your own risk.

(I found it noteworthy that the "host" of the show is affiliated with Disney+ and Nickelodeon.  So much for those corporations and their "family values" . . .)

I presume that the readers of this blog have too much sense, and are sufficiently ethical and honorable in their behavior, to ever expose their kids to this sort of moral meltdown.  However, tragically, the same can't be said for many others in our demented society.  An ancient idiom warns us that "Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad".  If our society not only permits, not only tolerates, but actually encourages this filth, then I can only suspect we have an awful lot of gods trying to make us as insane as possible.  From where else could such madness come?

If I knew that anyone associated in any way with this endeavor were living anywhere near my home, I'd mobilize as many people as possible in my neighborhood to drive them out.  I could not tolerate such evil in close proximity to those I hold dear.  How can anyone in his or her right mind tolerate such public displays - and displayers - of evil anywhere near them?

I can only urge you, dear readers, to find out whether this abomination is coming to any venue near you.  If it is, boycott the performance, raise outrage against the venue allowing it to be performed, contact local churches and urge them to mobilize their members against it - in other words, do anything and everything possible to disrupt it.  Filth like this stains everything and everyone it touches, morally for certain, and possibly physically as well (in terms of crime rates and other real-world consequences).  You certainly don't want it corrupting local children!

As for those promoting it, and performing in it, and defending it?

Matthew 18:5-6 - "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me;  but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."

Luke 17:1-2 - And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin."

I don't think Jesus was joking.

Hebrews 10:31 - "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

I'm pretty sure those concerned will learn that the hard way, sooner or later.

Peter

Want to know why millions of Americans are no longer looking for work?

 

It's because millions of them are making more money from unemployment and welfare than they could by working.  The New York Post reports:

Did you know that families earning half a million dollars a year can receive ObamaCare subsidies? Or that in some states, unemployment insurance benefits can be equivalent to a job with annual pay of $100,000?

It’s shocking but true, and it might explain why so many businesses can’t get workers back on the job almost three years after COVID-19 hit these shores. Today there are still at least 3 million fewer Americans working than there were in 2019. 

. . .

Many programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (a k a food stamps), are means tested, so that only low-income people qualify for them. But other handouts are not — including unemployment insurance and ObamaCare subsidies. 

The value of these benefits can be staggering — much higher, in fact, than many blue-collar professions.

• In 24 states, unemployment benefits and ObamaCare subsidies for a family of four with no one working are the annualized equivalent of at least the national median household.
• A family making almost a quarter of a million dollars annually still qualifies for ObamaCare subsidies in every state.
•  In a dozen states, the value of unemployment benefits and Obama­Care subsidies exceeds the salary and benefits of the average teacher, construction worker, electrician, firefighter, truck driver, machinist or retail associate.
•  In New Jersey, a family of four can receive benefits equal to an annualized earned income of $108,000 with no one working.
•  In Connecticut and New Jersey, a family earning $300,000 a year can receive ObamaCare subsidies.
•  New Jersey is a state where a family can earn the equivalent of $100,000 a year if both parents are collecting unemployment benefits and ObamaCare subsidies for health care. In Connecticut the benefits can reach $80,000.

There's more at the link, including a list of all 50 states and the unemployment benefits available in each one.

So, if you wanted to know how the Federal government can be running a deficit of one-and-a-half trillion dollars every year . . . there it is.  A lot of that money is subsidizing those who aren't working, some of whom doubtless deserve the assistance, but many others of whom simply couldn't be bothered to work rather than sponge off the taxpayers of this country.

That's why there are between four and six million Americans who were at work prior to 1920, but who are "no longer in the labor force".  Many of them no longer need to be in the labor force, because you and I and our taxes are subsidizing their lives of leisure.

Will the Biden administration do anything to lessen this burden on US taxpayers?  Like hell they will!  Every freeloader on benefits is a likely voter for them, and they know it.

Peter

A helpful (?) holiday reminder

 

From Eaton Rapids Joe:

Sometimes holiday guests bring devices that you cannot figure out or are "locked". Alarms go off. They make distressing noises. 

The owners of the devices are sleeping in. What to do???

I throw them into the refrigerator. Close the door and the sound goes away! Problem solved.

Note: Generally not a good idea if the source of the noise is a young child.

Peter

Memes that made me laugh 138

 

Gathered from around the Internet over the past week.  Click any image for a larger view.

Sunday morning music

 

Two Christmas carols for you this morning:  one very powerful and moving, the other so bad it's actually good.  Be prepared to grind your teeth!

First, here's Brazilian heavy metal singer Dan Vasconcelos (known professionally as Dan Vasc).  I'd never heard of him until his multilingual rendition of "Angels We Have Heard On High" began circulating on social media a few weeks ago.  I was prepared to dismiss it as just another metal cover of a classic carol, but it's extremely well performed - much better than the average modern cover.  He sings in Italian, German, Portuguese and English.

The second piece is... well... glorious in its ghastliness!  It's Wham's notorious seasonal song, "Last Christmas", but in full orchestral performance with the Vienna Philharmonic, complete with solo singers and choir.  I can't bear it as music, but it's somewhat redeemed by the obvious mirth among the musicians and singers as they try to do a serious performance, but can't help breaking out in giggles now and again.

I long for the days when Christmas carols reflected the reason for the season, the birth of Christ.  It's a deeply meaningful season to me for religious and spiritual reasons, but is often ruined by commercialism and pagan dreck.

If you want a modern Christmas carol, here's one of my favorites, which I've featured in these pages before.

May this season of grace be real for all of us.

Peter

Saturday Snippet and new books

 

Only one new book by friends this week.  Alma Boykin has published the latest in her new "Familiar Generations" series, which continues and expands the saga of her long-running "Familiar Tales" books.  This one's titled "Hunter in Shadow".

The blurb reads:

Odd magic moves in Devon County. Someone is scattering spells in the courthouse. As the year turns to winter, twisted magic stirs, awakened by the mysterious spell caster. Or was it?

Jude Tainuit and his Familiar, Shoim, guard Devon County's magic users, and others. That is, when Jude isn't working at the bakery, helping the herb-wife Martha O'Neil, and wincing at his Familiar's jokes. When Martha makes her claim to a long-abandoned piece of land, dark power moves to stop her.

As mild charm spells become threats, and strange creatures stalk the nights, Jude, Shoim, and their allies struggle to find the source of the trouble. The Hunter in Shadows must act, but how?

It's a very enjoyable book.  My wife and I have already read it, and enjoyed it as a worthy continuation of Alma's series.  Recommended.

Now, on to today's snippet.  A few months ago I came across an amusing naval story that was taken from a book titled "Days of a Dogsbody" by Commander C. A. Jenkins of the Royal Navy.

It was published in 1946, and tells the story of his years in the Navy from just after World War I to the end of World War II.  (For those who don't know Royal Navy slang, "dogsbody" was a widely used term to refer to someone of no particular importance or standing.)  It's amusing and informative, and covers many aspects of Navy service (particularly the lighter side) that more formal histories leave out.  It's been out of print for decades, of course, but one can find used copies if one looks - which I did.

Here are some excerpts from Cdr. Jenkins' account of his early service as a junior officer aboard a minesweeper and a light cruiser during the 1920's.

Confirmed in the rank of Sub-Lieutenant [equivalent to the US Navy's Lieutenant Junior Grade - ed.] after a short spell of leave I found myself appointed to HMS Burslem, a minesweeper of 800 tons and the smallest type of commissioned vessel afloat.

HMS Burslem, a Hunt-class minesweeper (click the image for a larger view)

. . .

Our arrival at Stornoway was quite sensational.  We had called at the Kyle of Lochalsh en route, to embark a pipe band.  As we came alongside the jetty at Stornoway we hardly lived up to that reputation for quiet efficiency which the Navy is supposed to have earned.  The pipe band was playing loudly on board, dogs were fighting loudly on the jetty, every one ashore was loudly cheering and yelling.  They all seemed to be drunk, though the island was officially 'dry'.  Later the Provost explained that the prohibition laws were kept in force by the votes of the numerous owners of illicit stills, whose profits were greater under prohibition.

. . .

While in harbor we had a pretty riotous time, owing to the hospitality ashore and our parties on board.  Because of the latter we very often used to have lights on board in the evening, and just because we liked it we ourselves even went so far as to have an occasional bath.  Both these, lights and baths, were very much against orders in those cheeseparing days, as they used fuel, and eventually our coal figures got well in arrears.  So we had an imaginary day at sea.  We made a signal asking permission to proceed on patrol, we made another reporting our return from patrol.  The chief fudged the engine-room register and I fudged the log, but the ship remained snugly alongside the jetty.  In case you may think that crime pays, I may say that we both found that it was much harder work making the log and the register agree with each other and with imaginary tides and landfalls than it would have been to have gone to sea.

. . .

Another short trip of interest that fell to our lot was the champagne trip to Boulogne.  The official excuse for this voyage, taken annually by some ship of the flotilla, was "to discuss Fishery Protection matters with officers of the French Fishery Protection Service".  The more important duty of the ship concerned was to lay in a stock of champagne and liqueurs sufficient to last the entire minesweeping flotilla, and all the other small ships whom we liked, until the following year.  As thereby champagne could be obtained at 3s. 10d. a bottle [at the time equivalent to less than one US dollar - ed.], and the price of liqueurs was proportionally low, you will appreciate that this was an important annual event.

In my capacity as wardroom wine caterer, a lot of work came my way.  For a fortnight before, I was busy receiving orders from the other ships and, more important and more difficult, trying to persuade other wine caterers to give me some hard cash for the job.  Then there was the adding up of the grand total of each type of liqueur, an astronomical figure, and the rearrangement of the less important articles on board, such as ammunition, in order to provide satisfactory stowage for the real cargo.  At Boulogne itself, for the first and last time in my life, I felt that I was in Big Business when I placed my orders for champagne in terms of grosses (is there such a word?) and liqueurs of all kinds in dozens.  I even thought I detected signs of respectful admiration from the head of the firm from whom I bought them.

[The ship's officers, accompanied by some French officers, went ashore one evening.]

On the way the first lieutenant's whimsical humor entertained us, and presumably himself, although no flicker of fun flitted across his face.  Although the evening was fine, he had decided to carry an umbrella.  Carrying it by the ferrule, and at what with a sword is known as the 'carry', he walked blithely along the pavement.  At intervals the crook would catch on some shop's overhanging blind, and the umbrella remain hanging, while Number One, apparently deep in thought, walked on with his empty hand still in the same position.  With French politeness a passing citizen would unhook it, run after him, and return it with many smiles, bows and flourishes;  Number One would look surprised for a moment, and then beam and thank his benefactor most profusely, apparently laughing at his own absent-mindedness.  The French are a polite race;  on return on board he still had his umbrella.

. . .

Somewhere about this time I promoted myself to Lieutenant, which it is not given to many Sub-Lieutenants to do.  It was very simple.  A curious anomaly which, incidentally, still exists in the Service, is that an officer is not allowed to receive a watch-keeping certificate until he has kept watch for a period of six months.  Further he is not allowed to keep watch unless he has received a watch-keeping certificate.  The normal reaction of the normal Captain is to allow the officer to keep watch, with the knowledge that if a collision or grounding occurs he, the Captain, will be in even worse trouble than otherwise.  I consequently kept watch, as previously mentioned.  After six months I placed before the Captain the two certificates required for promotion to Lieutenant, one my watch-keeping certificate and another to say that I was considered suitable in all respects for the rank of Lieutenant.  As was his custom, he signed them (in quadruplicate or so) without reading them, entertaining me meanwhile, as was also his custom, with some Rabelaisian yarn.  "Thank you, sir," said I, gathering them up with the other correspondence.  "Why this unusual gratitude, Sub?"  "Well, you've just promoted me, sir."

. . .

One of my activities was as the officer qualified in rendering mines safe ... One off Lowestoft, which I had decided would not explode whatever I did to it, exploded most energetically.  After examining it I had decided to lash a couple of small charges alongside and fire them in order to make enough holes to force the mine to sink for ever in deep water.  However, the main charge exploded with the mine on the surface, about four hundred yards from the ship, as far as I can remember, and the lid of the mine - a solid piece of metal about three feet across and one inch thick - went hurtling through the air at the ship.  Luckily it pitched beyond her.

After his promotion, the author was posted to HMS Caledon, a light cruiser.  She was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet.

While at Gibraltar I made quite a lot of money at the races in this wise.  After losing the usual quota by trying to follow the confident tips of the Maltese messman I determined to try my own system for the last race.  This was the annual "Naval Officers' Scurry".  Now, the majority of the riders in this race had so little idea of riding that I decided that almost anything might happen.  In the first place the start was bound to be a thing of luck as it was impossible to get more than a few starters properly lined up at any one time, or, in fact, to get many of them even heading in the right direction.  In the second place there were so many entrants that the race itself was bound to be a matter of luck, and there would be a good deal of bumping and boring.  In the third place, although this would not affect the issue, the stopping was bound to be a matter of luck in view of the inexperience of the riders (the local population had long ago decided that the Almighty had placed the Mediterranean some half a mile from the finish in order to bring the ponies to a stop when the riders failed to do so, a frequent occurrence).

Backing my belief that anything might happen, I hung about the tote until the book was on the verge of closing and then selected a horse and rider who had so far had no bets at all placed on them.  From a most blatantly false start my fancy got away while the others were still trying to line up, the pony bolted, but the rider hung on - and I collected a very pretty dividend.

. . .

Among other spots we visited the charming village of Volendam, one of the few remaining places where the people wear the picturesque Dutch costumes.  Outside the doors were the clogs of any visitors, as it is not the correct thing to wear them inside the threshold and bring them or mud inside - an idea which is shared by the Japanese.  The moral, of course, is that when visiting either old Holland or Japan one must manage to find a pair of socks without holes before paying calls.

It's a light-hearted and entertaining read.

Peter

Debt as a millstone around our economic necks

 

We've spoken on several previous occasions about the danger of debt, and how it's dragging down our entire economy.  Debt is not just private (you and I);  it's also corporate and state, with not just the federal government, but a large number of states deeply indebted to lenders, and struggling to repay and/or refinance that debt in the face of higher interest rates.

The new, higher interest rates threaten to cripple many major corporations - and those who work for them.

Interest rates are MUCH higher across the board than they were two years ago.

Residential mortgage rates have climbed from 2.75% to 7.32%. The US 6-month Treasury was just 0.03% last summer. Today it’s 4.75%.

And corporate “junk bonds” yielded as low as 3.8% last year. Today those junk rates are nearly 10%.

That last point is really important, and I’ll give you an easy example. We all know how the cruise industry struggled once the pandemic hit, and those struggles continue today.

Carnival Cruise Lines is hurting so badly that the company’s ‘gross profit’ is negative, meaning that it costs the company more to operate their cruise ships than they generate in revenue.

In Q2, for example, Carnival generated $1.2 billion in cruise revenue. But they spent $1.7 billion on fuel, food, crew salaries, etc., resulting a NEGATIVE gross profit of -$500MM. And that’s BEFORE paying for corporate management, administrative expenses, etc. (which totaled another $400 million).

And it’s also before Carnival paid a single penny of interest or principal on its debt.

They’re clearly in a tough spot. And it was even worse last year and the year before.

Yet Carnival has been able to keep the party going by taking on debt; its total debt is now nearly $30 billion, up from less than $10 billion in 2019, pre-COVID. That’s a lot of debt, given that Carnival’s total equity is only around $8 billion. So it’s ‘debt to equity’ ratio is nearly 4:1.

When rates were still low and their business was somewhat healthy, Carnival was able to borrow money at just 1%.

But now that their business is in the dumps, and interest rates have increased substantially, Carnival is borrowing money at 10.5%.

Remember, the company doesn’t even make enough money to pay its 1% debt, let alone 10.5% debt.

And what’s worse is that these bonds will eventually need to be paid back; in the next 12 months alone, Carnival will have to repay nearly $1 billion in debt. And they simply don’t have the money.

This is a classic distress situation. And it’s no wonder that investors have been dumping Carnival bonds.

But it’s not just Carnival, or even the cruise industry. You’d be surprised at how many companies are in a similar situation — heavily in debt and unable to pay. They’re basically walking dead, which is why they’re commonly referred to as ‘zombie companies’.

Zombie companies have been with us for years; they’ve only been able to survive thanks to cheap interest rates and government bailouts.

But, again, financial conditions have changed dramatically. And if interest rates stay high (or go higher), I think it’s likely that we’ll see a wave of bankruptcies and asset sales, possibly over the next 12 months.

There's more at the link.

As the author notes, "it's not just Carnival, or even the cruise industry."  There are probably thousands of companies who are currently finding it difficult to refinance debt they originally incurred at much lower interest rates.  There are tens of thousands of home owners who took out adjustable rate mortgages, and who are now staring down the barrel of massive increases in the interest rate they're paying.

If you work in a company or organization affected by this, pay careful attention to how it might affect you.  If your state has to pay much higher installments on its debt, what might happen to state workers?  If a company has to pay much higher installments, what might happen to at least some of its employees - perhaps entire plants or production lines?  Will your job be safe?

Of course, there's also the personal angle.  Are you carrying a high credit card debt load?  Credit card interest rates are already usurious, several times higher than a typical bank loan.  I've heard that some credit cards, particularly for those with poor credit ratings, are now at 30% or higher.  If you can't afford to pay them, that's your problem.  The credit card issuer is going to sue for his money, and you're in his crosshairs.

(Oh - and if you've booked a cruise on Carnival or any other cruise line over the next year or two, keep a careful eye on the company's financial situation.  You don't want to be stranded at sea or in a foreign destination, because the company can't afford to get you back home again!)

This is a really serious issue.  Do, please, pay attention to the many ways it might affect you personally.

Peter

A military Twelve Days of Christmas

 

Received via e-mail, from one of my military readers.

Subject: DoD's Twelve Days of Christmas

The President has authorized the Department of Defense to assist Santa with the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Status of acquisitions follows:

Day 1- Partridge in a pear tree: The Army and Air Force are in the process of deciding whose area of responsibility Day 1 falls under. Since the partridge is a bird, the Air Force believes it should have the lead. The Army, however, feels trees are part of the land component command's area of responsibility. After three months of discussion and repeated OpsDepsTank sessions, a $1M study has been commissioned to decide who should lead this joint program.

Day 2 - Two turtle doves: Since doves are birds, the Air Force claims responsibility. However, turtles are amphibious, so the Navy-Marine Corps team feels it should take the lead. Initial studies have shown that turtles and doves may have interoperability problems. Terms of reference are being coordinated for a four-year, $10M DARPA study.

Day 3 - Three French Hens: At State Department instigation, the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs has blocked offshore purchase of hens, from the French or anyone else. A $6M program is being developed to find an acceptable domestic alternative.

Day 4 - Four Calling Birds: Source selection has been completed, with the contract awarded to AT&T. However, the award is being challenged by a small disadvantaged business.

Day 5 - Five Golden Rings: No available rings meet MILSPEC for gold plating. A three-year, $5M accelerated development program has been initiated.

Day 6 - Six Geese a-Laying: The six geese have been acquired. However, the shells of their eggs seem to be very fragile. It might have been a mistake to build the production facility on a nuclear waste dump at former Air Force base that was closed under BRAC.

Day 7 - Seven Swans a-Swimming: Fourteen swans have been killed trying to get through the Navy SEAL training program. The program has been put on hold while the training procedures are reviewed to determine why the washout rate is so high.

Day 8 - Eight Maids a-Milking: The entire class of maids a milking training program at Aberdeen is involved in a sexual harassment suit against the Army. The program has been put on hold pending resolution of the lawsuit.

Day 9 - Nine Ladies Dancing: Recruitment of the ladies dancing has been halted by a lawsuit from the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell Association." Members claim they have a right to dance and wear women's clothing as long as they're off duty.

Day 10 - Ten Lords a-Leaping: The ten lords have been abducted by terrorists. Congress has approved $2M in funding to conduct a rescue operation. Army Special Forces and a USMC MEU(SOC) are conducting a "NEO-off" competition for the right to rescue.

Day 11 - Eleven Pipers Piping: The pipe contractor delivered the pipes on time. However, he thought DoD wanted smoking pipes. DoD lost the claim due to defective specifications. A $22M dollar retrofit program is in process to bring the pipes into spec.

Day 12 - Twelve Drummers Drumming: Due to cutbacks only six billets are available for drumming drummers. DoD is in the process of coordinating an RFP to obtain the six additional drummers by outsourcing; however, funds will not be available until FY 2017.

As a result of the above-mentioned programmatic delays, and due to a High OPTEMPO that requires diversion of modernization funds to support current readiness, Christmas is hereby postponed until further notice.

I wonder if we can export that to Ukraine as military assistance?

Peter

A Bollywood werewolf horror comedy? Say it ain't so!

 

Regular readers will recall our several series of Bollywood fight scenes over the years.  Here's the trailer for a new film that involves a werewolf, horror, and humor, all garnished with Hindi pop music and Bollywood over-the-top special effects.  It might actually be fun.

It won't be released in the USA, of course, but I might look for the full-length show on streaming video or DVD.  I don't watch horror, but the humor in this one offsets that (at least, it sounds like it).

Peter

Some mothers do have them... *SIGH*

 

According to Cowboy State Daily, this piece of home-made ironmongery was found earlier this year on a Native American reservation in Iowa.  Click either image for a larger view.

“It looks like it’s probably a hand grenade waiting to happen,” Brian Dimoff, owner of Gold Spur Outfitters LLC in Laramie, told Cowboy State Daily. 

He was referencing photos of a sketchy homemade firearm seized by police and dubbed a “Smith & Methson” model, which has become somewhat of an Internet laughingstock and social media meme among firearms enthusiasts ... It was seized earlier this year from a suspected meth dealer in Iowa, according to reports from the Meskwaki Nation Police Department. The suspect had a prior felony conviction and was therefore prohibited from owning firearms.

. . .

But firing the “Smith & Methson” probably wouldn’t have made its shooter’s day, Dimoff said. 

“What he created would have been a gas jet pointing back toward himself,” he said ... The cops did him a favor when they took that from him,” he said. “He would have ended up seriously injuring or even killing himself with it.”

There's more at the link.

Looking at the engineering (???) involved, a tetanus shot before handling it and a pair of nitrile gloves might not be bad ideas, either!

Peter

How bad is the flu in your area?

 

This year's flu season appears to have arrived with a vengeance.  My wife was down with it most of last week, and I'm showing signs of it this week;  and we have friends and acquaintances who are fighting the bug as well.  It appears to affect the stomach as well as the sinuses and lungs, so that nausea sometimes accompanies the congestion.  It's no fun at all.  Our local clinic reports being overwhelmed with cases.

Andrew Isker, writing on Gab, said:

It is hard not to be a prisoner of the moment, but I cannot remember everyone I know getting sick this bad for this long.

My whole family has been fighting a stomach bug for an entire week. Half the people I know in real life got it just as bad.

I have many friends out of state who have had the flu worse than they can ever remember.

Is it possible that they destroyed the majority of the population's immune system and that makes us all vulnerable to viruses that would have otherwise been stopped dead in their tracks?

What about you, dear readers?  Have you had a dose of the flu yet, this year?  If so, please let us know in Comments when you got it, how bad it was, and anything else that might be informative.

Peter

Headline of the week

 

From the BBC:

Scientists find clitorises on female snakes

Questions that come to mind:

• Who the heck decided this was a worthwhile subject for scientists to investigate?
• Who the heck poured money into this project - and why?
• Now that they know, what the heck are they going to do with that knowledge?  Make vibrators for vipers?

Yea, verily, the mind doth boggle . . .

Peter

American land-based versions of "Boaty McBoatface"?

 

A few years ago, Britain's Natural Environment Research Council announced a competition to name a new research vessel.  Given the sense of humor of the British public, it was perhaps not surprising that the winner - by a very large margin - was "Boaty McBoatface".  Horrified at such unseemly (and un-bureaucratic) levity, the Council stiffly announced that the ship would be christened David Attenborough, but in recognition of public opinion, one of its remotely controlled submersible vehicles would be named according to the popular poll.  Wikipedia notes:  "Observers of contemporary culture coined the term 'McBoatfacing', defined as 'making the critical mistake of letting the internet decide things'."

One suspects the Ohio Turnpike Commission might have had that example in mind when they announced the winners of their second annual "Name-a-snowplow" competition.

Eight of the snow plows clearing the Ohio Turnpike this winter now have a bit of unique character.

The Ohio Turnpike Commission on Friday announced the eight winners in its second annual Name-a-Snowplow contest. Here they are:

• Ctrl-Salt-Delete by Nicole G.
• Blizzard Wizard by Jacqueline F.
• Plow Chicka Plow Wow by Joshua K.
• You’re Killin’ Me Squalls by Linda V.
• The Big LePlowski by Matthew S.
• The Blizzard of Oz by Annette B.
• Ohio Thaw Enforcement by Jonathan H.
• Clearopathtra by Samantha S.

There's more at the link.  Those who submitted the winning names will receive a $100 gift card.

Good on the Turnpike Authority for letting the public join in the fun, and for selecting amusing names that will make people smile.  There's all too little of that from ponderous public authorities these days.

Peter

A return to medieval superstition in "woke" America?

 

How, precisely, does exhuming a corpse contribute to "wokeness" or anti-racism?

The city of Richmond, Virginia, has dug up the remains of Confederate General A.P. Hill as it continues to purge Confederate symbols and monuments from public spaces.

The remains of Hill, which had been buried under a monument to the general, were located on Tuesday after two days of digging. The casket of Hill, who was reportedly buried standing up, was rotted away when workers finally found the remains using an excavator. 

According to local reporter Riley Wyant, the remains of Hill were blocked from public view using a tarp before they were transferred into a body bag and wheeled away on a stretcher. The remains were transferred to the general’s relatives, including John Hill, the general’s closest indirect descendant.

The city had brought in an excavator to search for Hill’s remains, which had been buried at an intersection of the city for over 130 years. On top of the grave was a statue of the Confederate soldier. The statue, which was removed via crane on Monday, was the last city-owned Confederate monument to be removed from Richmond.

There's more at the link.

To add insult to injury, the mayor of Richmond went on record as saying, "Over two years ago, Richmond was home to more Confederate statues than any city in the United States. Collectively, we have closed that chapter. We now continue the work of being a more inclusive and welcoming place where ALL belong."  All, obviously, except long-dead Confederate soldiers and their modern descendants...  Ironically, the late General Hill was reportedly not a slave-owner, and is said (by his wife) to have spoken out against the practice - not that that holds any interest or meaning for those who wanted him out of the way as an inconvenient and politically incorrect symbol of the past.

This appears to be another example of triumphalism - the attitude that "We're in charge now, so what we say goes, and if you don't like it you can lump it!"  It's the besetting sin of new rulers or conquerors throughout history.  In due course, when the pendulum swings and the worm turns, their monuments and handwork are in their turn overturned by the new triumphalism of those who succeed them in power.  However, that probably doesn't interest the current powers that be in Richmond.  They're looking backward, not forward.

(Speaking of looking backward, in January 897 the corpse of Pope Formosus was dug up and put on trial by his enemies.  Being obviously in no condition to rebut the charges, he was found guilty posthumously.  Nearer our own time, during the Spanish Civil war (1936-39), Republican authorities dug up the corpses of deceased nuns and monks and displayed their decayed remains to disapproving crowds of their supporters.  Neither atrocity, of course, had any effect on the living, except to provide an outlet for emotional condemnation of those who could no longer defend themselves.  One wonders whether those examples inspired the city authorities in Richmond?)

I hold no brief to defend the Confederacy.  I didn't even come to this country until 132 years after the Confederacy ceased to exist!  Nevertheless, I can and do condemn hatred, bigotry and racism in all their forms.  The actions of the Richmond authorities come perilously close, in my opinion, to qualifying for all three of those labels:  perhaps as much, if not more so, than the historical record of the late General Hill.

Welcome to modern America!

Peter

A seaside reminder...

 

... of the reason for the season.  Found on Gab;  click the image for a larger view.

That's lovely, and well and uniquely executed by the artist(s).  Thank you!

Peter

Two forecasts for 2023

 

We'll see in due course whether either forecast, or both, come(s) to pass.

First, Brandon Smith thinks the economy is in for an even harder time next year.

Supply and demand, debt and deficit, money velocity and inflation; these things cannot be ignored. If the system is out of balance, collapse will set its ugly foot down somewhere and there’s nothing anyone including central banks can do about it. In fact, there are times when they deliberately ENGINEER collapse.

This is the situation we are currently in today as 2022 comes to a close. The Fed is in the midst of a rather aggressive rate hike program in a “fight” against the stagflationary crisis that they created through years of fiat stimulus measures. The problem is that the higher interest rates are not bringing prices down, nor are they really slowing stock market speculation. Easy money has been too entrenched for far too long, which means a hard landing is the most likely scenario.

. . .

My position is that the central bank has a global agenda that eclipses any national loyalty, and that it requires the decline of the American economy in order to expedite the introduction of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) linked together through the IMF. So far they are getting exactly what they want and they are perfectly aware of what they are doing.

. . .

High energy prices and supply chain disruptions will mean ongoing inflated prices in goods and services well into 2023, even with a contraction in jobs markets and stock markets ... I suggest readers stock provision whenever possible and organize within their local communities before next April.

There's more at the link.

Frankly, I think Brandon Smith's comments are too mild.  I expect serious economic mayhem around the world next year as the economic seeds sown over the past couple of decades, and the massive and highly inflationary infusion of additional money supply into world markets over the past two to three years, all take effect.  Supply chain issues are merely the icing on the economic cake, so to speak.

(To cite only one current example, look how many critical medications, including the antibiotic Amoxicillin, are currently in very short supply.  That's not just a problem in the USA or Canada, but worldwide - and the only source of supply is China, all others having ceased production due to unfavorable economic conditions.  At present, according to our local pharmacy, they're having trouble sourcing no less than seven commonly prescribed medications, leading to delays of up to two weeks in getting them to patients.  Others are getting very expensive, unaffordably so for many patients (for example, insulin).  To avoid running into those problems, I've worked hard in recent months to increase our reserves of the medications prescribed for our family.  Both of us are dependent on certain prescribed medications for our ongoing health, and it might be life-threatening to be without them:  so I have no hesitation in making sure we have reserves in hand, in case of more shortages.  I can only suggest to my readers that if you're in that situation, you should do likewise.)

Gonzalo Lira is a name familiar to many readers.  He was an astute economic commentator until a few years ago, when he dropped out of sight.  Turns out he went to Ukraine.  He's been reporting on the war there, and resuming his economic and political commentaries as well.  Note that he has no economic vested interest in this country, and can therefore be objective in his comments.

Mr. Lira has bad feelings about what may come to our country next year.  I don't know if he's right, but if he is . . . it's not good news.

So, there you have it.  Economically and politically, it doesn't look good - but then, it hasn't for a while, has it?  Take these warnings as reminders to prepare as best we can.  If the worst doesn't happen, we can relax;  if it does, we're better prepared for it than we otherwise would have been.  I'll take either option as a win compared to doing nothing.

Peter

Heh

 

Found on Gab:

My company just did a diversity survey. I checked every box and submitted it. I'm a Black, Hispanic, Caucasian, Asian, Native who's male, female, transexual and 2 spirited.

I expect I'll be the CEO next year.

Attaboy!

Peter

Two icy images with warm fuzzy effects

 

I came across both these images from Gab user "laylaloo" recently.  She has some interesting art and photographs on her site.

First, here's an ice cone at Helmcken Falls in British Columbia, Canada.  Click the image for a larger view.

According to Wikipedia:

Most tourists see Helmcken Falls in summer. A winter visit is worthwhile because the ice cone at the base often grows to 50 m tall and sometimes even higher in very cold snowy winters. It has occasionally been seen reaching halfway up the falls. The best time to view the ice cone is from late January to the end of February. The cone collapses inward sometime during March and some remnants are still visible in June.

Next, here's one that's just cute.

Both images cheered up my day.  I hope they did yours, too.

Peter